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Updated: Jun 29, 2026
A Mouse Fetal Skin Model of Scarless Wound Repair
Published on: January 16, 2015
Absence of the dermatan sulfate chain of decorin does not affect mouse development
Pierre Moffatt1,2, Yeqing Geng3, Lisa Lamplugh3
1Research Center, Shriners Hospitals for Children - Canada, 1003 Boulevard Décarie, Montréal, H4A 0A9, QC, Canada. pierre.moffatt@mcgill.ca.
Background:
In vitro studies suggest that the multiple functions of decorin are related to both its core protein and its dermatan sulfate chain. To determine the contribution of the dermatan sulfate chain to the functional properties of decorin in vivo, a mutant mouse whose decorin lacked a dermatan sulfate chain was generated.
Results:
Homozygous mice expressing only the decorin core protein developed and grew in a similar manner to wild type mice. In both embryonic and postnatal mice, all connective tissues studied, including cartilage, skin and cornea, appeared to be normal upon histological examination, and their collagen fibrils were of normal diameter and organization. In addition, abdominal skin wounds healed in an identical manner in the mutant and wild type mice.
Conclusions:
The absence of a dermatan sulfate chain on decorin does not appear to overtly influence its functional properties in vivo.
